Current-motor



H. HOLDEN.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22.1919.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Jhwnfar .ZQ'arry .Hbkirrz HARRY HOLDEN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application filed fieptcmber 22, 1919. Serial No. 325,312

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY HOLDEN, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelcs and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fluid current motor. It pertains especiallyto a motor having an endless carrier provided with impeller blades whichare impelled by a flowing fluid, and While traveling in the oppositedirection to the current are held out of the fluid; and are maintainedbroadside to the direction of flow while in the fluid, feathering inentering and leaving the same. The invention is especially adapted to beplaced in a flowing stream of water, deriving energy therefrom which maybe transmitted and used for industrial power purposes.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide novel, positive,and simple means for maintaining the impellers normal to the fluidcurrent while therein and feathering the same as they enter and leavethe water.

These objects will be more fully under stood, as will also other objectsand corresponding accomplishments of my invention from the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. For the purposeof this description reference is had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the motor; Fig. 2 isa section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, parts being in section; Fig. 3is an enlarged detail in side elevation of the chain showing a bearingblock; Fig. 4 is a plan viewof the motor; and Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticview showing various positions of the impeller blades during the courseof their travel.

Referring more particularly to the draw ing, especially Figs. 1 and 2, Aindicates a pontoon located in a stream of water 13. The pontoonsupports a carrier comprising wheels, over which are passed chainshaving mounted thereon impeller blades and feathering means for theblades. The last mentioned structure is indicated generally b C.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the pontoon comprises two sidewalls 7 and 8 disposed in the direction of the flow of the stream. Theapproach thereto consists of flaring walls 9 and 10, which direct thewater inwardly between the side walls, so that the greatest efiiciencyfrom the current may be obtained.

Mounted upon the side walls near the forward ends thereof are bearingblocks 11 and 12 in which is journaled a shaft 14. Adjacent the rear endof the walls are blocks 15 and 16 in which is fixed a shaft 17. Fixed toshaft lei adjacent wall 8 is a sprocket wheel 18, and adjacent wall 7 asprocket wheel 19. J ournaled on shaft 17 adjacent the walls aresprocket wheels 20 and 21. Extending from the middle of shaft 17 to themiddle of shaft 14 and journaled on the latter is a guard 22. Passedover sprocket wheels 19 and 21 is a chain 23, and passed over sprocketwheels 18 and 20 is a chain 24. The chains 23 and 2i are similar andonly one will be described. Re-

indicated by, 25.

The impeller blades are paddles of rectangular form as indicated by 26,with brackets mounted on opposite sides having stub shafts 27 and 28.Mounted upon the top of each paddle at the center thereof is a finger 29adapted to engage the guard 22 at the shaft 1 1. Disposed on the loweredges at the corners thereof are brackets carrying feathering wheels 30and 31. Adj acent the fingers 29 and mounted on the blades are weights32 acting to counterpoise the paddle so that it will hang in horizontalposition.

Mounted upon the inside of the side walls 7 and 8 are feathering ways 33and 34: which extend parallel to the chain and below the same, so thatwhen the feathering wheels 30 and 31 are disposed therein the blades 26will be normal to the current flow. The ways are in the form of achannel, which at the forward end curves upwardly as indicated by 35 inFig. 1, the channel being cut away on the lower side. At the rear endthe ways are arcuate, the channel extending until its direction isnormal to the current flow as indicated by 36 in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 5 a diagrammatic View in section showing the operationof the paddles is shown. The paddle or blade in its different positionsis indicated by letters of the alphabet from a to 2'. Starting with thepaddle in position a, it travels in the direction of the upper arrow,remaining horizontal. In the position Z) the finger 29 approaches guard22, and in position 0 engages the guard. It then begins to tilt orfeather, until in the position d the lower end thereof enters below thesurface of the water B. The impulse of the water against the blade movesthe lower end thereof toward the curved portion 35 of the way, and asthe blade travels backward in the direction of current flow it isrighted to the position 6. Finally the blade reaches the position f andis impelled by the current flow to travel toward the rear, reaching theposition 9. The blade then is raised in feathered position. In travelingto the position h, the feathering wheel is so guided that the blade ismaintained upright and feathered in leaving the water. After thefeathering wheel leaves the Way, the blade tilts into horizontalposition as indicated by i, and then travels to the forward end. If theblade is overbalanced in either direction, guard 22 will prevent itsmoving into a vertical or upri ht position.

It is obvious that I have provided a current motor having few parts toproduce friction. This increases the efficiency of the motor and insurespositiveness of operation, avoiding difficulty such as the motor gettingout of operation.

What I claim is:

1. A current motor comprising in combination, an endless carrier havinga shaft, blades freely pivoted thereon so as to be presented broadsideto the stream, said blades being counterpoised, a way to maintain saidblades broadside to the stream While therein, means on said blades toengage said Way, and fingers on said blades to engage said shaft wherebyto right said blades before entering said way.

2. A current motor comprising in co1nbination, an endless carrier havinga shaft, blades freely pivoted thereon so as to be presented broadsideto the stream, said blades bein counterpoised, a way partiallyparallellng the path of travel of said carrier so as to maintain saidblades broadside to the stream while therein, said way having an arcuateguide at the forward end to guide said blades into said way in featheredposition and having an arcuate rear end to maintain said blades infeathered position while leaving the stream, and fingers on said bladesto engage said shaft whereby to right said blades before entering saidWay.

3. Acurrent motor comprising in combination, pairs of sprocket wheelsmounted on a shaft, chains passed over said sprocket wheels, bladesfreely pivoted between said chains so as to be presented broadside to astream, said blades being counterpoised, a way below the lower side ofsaid chain to maintain said blades broadside to the stream whiletherein, means on said blades to engage said way, and fingers on saidblades for engaging the forward shaft whereby to right said bladesbefore entering said way.

l. A current motor comprising in combination, a pair of shafts, a pairof sprocket Wheels on each shaft, chains passed over said sprocketwheels, blades freely pivoted between said chains so as to be presentedbroadside to a stream, said blades being counterpoised, a waypartiallyparalleling the path of travel of said carrier so as tomaintain said blades broadside to the stream while therein, said wayhaving an arcuate guard at the forward end to guide said blades intosaid Way in feathered position and having an arcuate rear end tomaintain said blades in feathered position while leaving the stream, andfingers on said blades to engage the forward shaft where by to rightsaid blades before entering said way.

5. A current motor comprising in combination a pair of shafts, a pair ofsprocket wheels on each shaft, chains passed over said sprocketwheels,blades freely pivoted between said chains so as to be presentedbroadside to the stream, said blades being counterpoised, a waypartially paralleling the path of travel of said carriers so as tomaintain said blades broadside to the stream while therein, said wayhaving an arcuate guide at the forward end to guide said blades intosaidway in feathered position, and having an arcuate rear end to maintainsaid blades in feathered position while leaving the stream, a guardextending between said shafts on the upper side thereof, and fingers onsaid blades for engaging said guard whereby to right said blades beforeentering said way.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 16th day of September, 1919.

HARRY HOLDEN.

